


Boy or Girl?

by Plumetta



Series: Baby makes Three [11]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-16 06:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1335661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little Hailey Abernathy is just starting school and wonders if she should have been a boy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boy or Girl?

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Five year old Hailey came home from school with a lot of questions.

“Mommy do you know the Valley song?

“No Sweetheart. Why don’t you sing it to me?

“I can’t remember all the words. Didn’t you learn it in school?

“We learned different songs in my school.” Effie said.

“Then maybe Daddy knows it.

“I wouldn’t bet on it but you can ask. Did you make any friends?”

Hailey shrugged. “A few girls talked to me. One boy was very rude.

“Little boys often are. What did he say?

Hailey frowned. “He said His Daddy said my Daddy is a drunk.

“That is very rude.” Effie agreed. “Did you say anything back to him?

“No. Daddy reminded me this morning that people sometimes say not nice things about him. I shouldn’t pay attention because most of the people that say it don’t really know Daddy.

“Your father is right. What other people say doesn’t matter even though sometimes it hurts our feelings.

Haymitch was asleep on the couch when they first came home. Hailey asked her mother for a spoon and pan so she could wake him up. She stood across the room and banged them together.

He jumped with a start put his knife on the table and said. “Come here Sweetheart. Tell me about your big, big day.

She told him about drawing, singing and the girls she played with.

“That’s good. Anything happen to upset you?

“One boy was very rude but I just…didn’t pay attention like you said.

He cuddled her on his lap. “That’s my girl. 

There was something else that bothered her. Something she heard one of the big boys say when he picked up his little sister. She was trying to decide if she should ask Mommy or Daddy. Since a boy said it that made up her mind.

“Daddy, why is my name Hailey?

He smiled. “Your Mommy picked it.

“Was I named for you?

“Sort of….Mommy wanted to put our names together so the first part is for me and the last part sounds like Effie.

Hailey nodded. “So I wasn’t named after you because you were sorry I wasn’t a boy?

He turned her on his lap so she faced him. “Of course not. If you had been a boy your name would not have been Haymitch.

“Why not? A lot of boys are named for their daddies.

“Not me. I wasn’t named for my father. Thank God.

“Why don’t you want to be named for your Daddy?

Haymitch frowned. Daddy was not a name he ever associated with his father. “My father wasn’t…..a very nice man.

“Why wasn’t he nice? Hailey asked.

Haymitch really wished he hadn’t opened this can of worms. 

“He didn’t take care of my Mom and he left when I was a little boy and didn’t come back.”

Hailey seemed to accept that. “So….what would my name have been if I was a boy?

“Garrett. I had a relative named Garrett who I was very close to but he died a long time ago.”

“Do you wish I was Garrett?

He tickled her “No, because then you wouldn’t be Hailey.” “Why would I want a messy boy when I have such a pretty little girl?

Hailey giggled. “Well, one of the boys said that Boy Victors should only have sons and Girl Victors should have daughters so they can know what it feels like when they’re reaped.

Haymitch tried not to react. “Honey, did someone in your class say that?

“No. A big boy.

“How big?

Hailey touched her father’s shoulder so he figured the boy was probably thirteen, fourteen. There hadn’t been a reaping in over ten years so either his family had suffered at some point over the Games or they were just Victor Haters people who were happy when a Victor’s kid, brother, niece was reaped. He knew that was a problem in other districts although he never had too much hostility in 12.

“Hailey, reaping is something nobody has to worry about anymore. When it did happen it was always scary whether you had a son or daughter.

“So you’re not mad I’m a girl?

“No. 

Effie walked in on that. “Honey, why would you ask your father that?

“Mommy do you wish I was a boy?

“No. I always wanted a little girl.

“If I had been a boy would you have sent me back?

Effie smiled. “No, but we were both very happy you were a girl. Uncle Peeta brought cookies for your first day.

Hailey leaped up and ran into the kitchen. Haymitch laughed. “I guess I can’t compete with cookies.

“What was that all about? Effie whispered.

“Not important. I’ll tell you later. Let’s just watch our little Princess.


End file.
